Healthy Food and Farms
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Can an environmental group be pro farm and pro environment? At the Oregon Environmental Council the answer is yes.
The 2007-2008 Agriculture and the Environment Workshop Series
The top five reasons that buying organic helps stop global warming
- The energy needed for organic farming is about 30 percent less than the energy needed for high-input conventional farming.
- Organic farming produces 48 to 60 percent less carbon dioxide than conventional agriculture.
- Organically farmed soil holds more carbon. It is about twice as efficient in temperate climates at sequestering carbon, keeping it from contributing to global warming as carbon dioxide.
- Organic farming produces less nitrous oxide (another greenhouse gas) due to less nitrogen fertilizer use, less mobile nitrogen concentrations, and good soil structure.
- Organically farmed soil holds more water. It requires less irrigation, which conserves water and energy.
Help OSARC Become a Reality
What is OSARC, and why is it so important?
Markets for sustainably produced food are growing 20% a year. Publicly traded companies in the “natural foods” category are trading 41% higher than last year while traditional food companies are trading at only 4% higher. Consumers are increasingly choosing and willing to pay more for Oregon food products that are produced in a way that is healthier for them, the environment and their community. Some commercial buyers are now requiring proof of sustainable growing practices. The foreign markets for these products are also expanding exponentially.
Yet, right now there isn’t one place for farmers and food businesses to learn about more sustainable growing practices, sustainability certification programs like Organic, Food Alliance or Salmon Safe, and buyers who want more local, sustainably grown food in their store or restaurant. The Oregon Environmental Council is working to make OSARC a reality.
For more information, contact Allison Hensey, or click here for an information sheet [PDF]: http://inr.oregonstate.edu/download/osarc.pdf